This mural honors Irvington resident Madge Oberholtzer (1896-1925), whose brutal murder led to the downfall of the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana. It was painted by Irvington artist Andrea Light with a grant from the City of Indianapolis’ Public Art for Neighborhoods Fund, and was organized by the Irvington Development Organization.
In March 1925, while working for the state of Indiana on an adult literacy campaign, Oberholtzer was abducted by D. C. Stephenson, Grand Dragon of the Indiana Klan; he had immense amounts of political and social power and presidential ambitions. Holding her captive in his private train car and taking her to Hammond, Indiana, Stephenson raped and tortured her. Once in Hammond Oberholtzer tricked him into allowing her out to a drugstore where she purchased mercury chloride, taking it while she was held in an attempt to commit suicide.
Following the suicide attempt, Stephenson’s men returned the unconscious Oberholtzer to her home in Indianapolis, assuming her extensive injuries would soon prove fatal and believing their influential leader was immune to any prosecution. Her parents called the police and Oberholtzer regained consciousness long enough to give a signed statement as a “dying declaration.” Stephenson was indicted on April 3, 1925, on charges of rape, kidnapping, assault and battery with intent to murder, and malicious mayhem. Oberholtzer’s statement described Stephenson’s assaults so compellingly that the jury found Stephenson guilty of second degree murder (as Oberholtzer had passed away on April 14 from her injuries, prior to the trial), rape, and kidnapping, and the court sentenced him to life in prison.
The brutal attack on Oberholtzer so outraged most members of the Indiana Klan that entire lodges quit en masse, and membership dropped by the tens of thousands. An investigation into Klan activity by the Indianapolis Times revealed widespread political corruption, which helped expose powerful Klan figures (including Indiana’s governor) and destroyed the Klan in Indiana and nationwide. By February 1928, Indiana Klan rosters had dropped to just 4,000, from a peak of more than 250,000 members in 1925, and the organization was effectively nullified.
The house where she lived with her parents as well as Stephenson’s house still stand in Irvington. Law schools across the country continue to examine the Stephenson-Oberholtzer case, with students familiarizing themselves with her dying declaration in their evidence classes. March 2025 marked the 100th anniversary of Oberholtzer’s brave actions: several local organizations in Hamilton and Marion counties hosted programs and events throughout the year to mark this anniversary. The Indianapolis Public Library hosts a landing page where visitors can find events, resources, and information related to this history.
